When buying makeup, you can’t really get any cheaper than £1 and this is why I was so impressed with the
quality of the MUA lipliners. When I bought this product I was in a rush and needed a red lip liner as I was planning on wearing a red lipstick that night, and knowing MUA products are so cheap, I thought if I don’t like it it’s not really a big deal and just picked it up on a whim. I had in my head that it was going to be like an actual pencil, really hard, scratchy and unworkable but when I got home and tried it on the back of my hand I was pleasantly surprised, it’s super creamy and pigmented, like the name suggests. When I put it on my lips, I could have just wore it by itself, it looked like a lipstick and when I added my lipstick over it, it really intensified the colour. I couldn’t stop going on about it, I kept telling my friends how amazed I was with it, I think with it costing only £1 I didn’t really have much hope for it and this is why I was so surprised, I only wore this for a couple of hours and then took it off but it lasted perfectly also stopping my lipstick from bleeding. The one I have is in the shade ‘Red Drama’, the colour range isn’t that great with only four shades available, but there are some nice shades, from a pale pink to a deep plum. They also have pencil sharpeners that are part of the lids which are really handy, I can never find them when I need them!

This is my everyday makeup storage system, everyone was going crazy for the Mujistorage, and while they look really pretty, I didn’t think they were very practical as you can’t really fit much in them. I found these clear cubes at the Brooklyn Trading website, I think you can also get them from eBay. They’re by the brand ‘Eldon’ and in one cube you get four compartments, which are like drawerss that slide out, you can also connect one cube to another with small black clips that you get with them. I do like how they look and that they’re clear so you can see exactly where everything is.

Bioderma Crealine H2O: I know a few of these products have been talked to death on blogs and YouTube but as I’ve only just started this blog I’m going to mention them anyway. This product being the one that everyone raves about the most and I can see why. Before Bioderma, I used to use baby wipes to remove my makeup, which isn’t too good for your skin but since using Bioderma I don’t imagine I’ll be using anything else. It’s amazing at removing all of your makeup, it removes practically everything, you don’t have to rub at your eyes to remove mascara, this takes it right off. The consistency is like water, it doesn’t feel oily or leave anything behind once you’ve took your makeup off and just sinks into your skin. Sometimes my skin can be quite sensitive but I’ve never had any problems using this, it’s very gentle on the skin and doesn’t sting the eyes at all. One thing that I would change is the packaging, it’s not a squeezey bottle or spray or pump, it basically just comes out a hole in the lid, but that’s just me being picky! It’s not yet readily available in the UK but I think it is starting to pop up around UK stores which I’m really excited about.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo: This is another product that’s been highly raved about and again I can completely understand why. It is a corrective treatment which reduces the appearance of imperfections and ublocks pores. With a serum-like consistency, it’s very light and quickly absorbs into the skin and you can use it morning and/or night to the entire face, it can also be used as a makeup base. I normally use this at night, before my moisturiser which is all my skin needs. Ever since using this, the size of my pores have been reduced and I’ve found that it not only improves the appearance of existing imperfections but it also prevents breakouts and improves the overall texture of my skin, leaving it soft and smooth.

Dr Jart+ Premium BB Cream: I spoke about these products on my ‘what’s in my makeup bag‘ post, they are my favourite base products at the moment. This definately deserves to be in my March favourites as I’ve been using this most days, normally just on it’s own on good skin days, with a bit of concealer. It does only come in one colour but I’ve used it at my palest and my most tanned and it’s worked with both skin tones but I’m not sure how it would work on darker skin tones. It is definately a light coverage but it evens out my skin tone really well and brightens up my skin, leaving a nice glow and even though it’s targeted at older skin types, I love it! It aims to reduce imperfections by lifting and illuminating the skin whilst also targeting wrinkles, fine lines and loss of skin elasticity. It also has SPF40 which is a big bonus! It is currently on sale at Boots for £16.

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation: This is a fairly new foundation which I’ve really enjoyed wearing these past couple of months. I’d say it is a light coverage but is buildable to a light-medium coverage, I like how lightweight it is and looks really natural on the skin. I wouldn’t say it’s matte or that it’s dewy, it just leaves a nice natural finish and also brightens up the skin. The thing that I can’t stand about this product is that it has no pump, you have to pour it onto the back of your hand and I always end up wasting it, the lid is also quite hard to get off unless it’s me just being weak! But overall I do really like this foundation.

Real Techniques Contour Brush (Core Collection): I love the Real Techniques brushes, they’re of such a good quality and aren’t that expensive either. The contour brush comes as part of the Core Collection, which also includes a buffing brush, pointed foundation brush and a detailer brush. I love using this brush for concealer, it’s really soft so you can gently work concealer in under the eyes and anywhere else you may need it.

I’ve been using this product for a few months and as you can see I’ve barely used any as you only need a small amount for under the eyes. I’m increasingly becoming a fan of Origins, wanting to buy everything when I visit the stores, I got a sample of the Planscription foundation to try out but they matched me to a shade that is waaay too dark for me.

This really helps to brighten up my eye area and although I don’t think it does much for dark circles, It’s really creamy and moisturising which helps when applying concealer to cover them up.

Natural Collection Lipstick – Lotus – Boots £1.99

I love the Natural Collection lipsticks, I have a few shades and this one is my favourite, it’s the perfect everyday lipstick. Although it doesn’t last more than a few hours, it doesn’t bother me, I just throw it in my bag and reapply when needed. It’s a quite sheer pale peach colour, which I love and the lipsticks are really creamy. I did actually snap this the other day when I was writing my other blog post when trying to describe the colour but hey ho, I still really like them!

I recieved this in a Glossybox, I think it was the Valentives day box. A couple of years ago I was subscribed to Glossybox for quite a while and ended up being disappointed with the products I received, I thought they went a bit downhill and then obviously once I had unsubscribed they started sending out amazing products like Dr Jart, Dermalogica, Radial etc. I’m still unsure whether to resubscribe or not..

Anyway I received this lipstick by Helen E Cosmetics and I was pleasantly surprised once I tried this on, as I didn’t think it would be anything special as the packaging was pretty plain. I tend to like warmed toned reds more than blue toned and this lipstick and I think this is the perfect orange toned red and would look really nice on pale or tanned skin, I’m thinking about taking it on holiday with me. It’s really creamy and moisturising which I was also surprised about, they also have a wide range of colours, I’m thinking about buying a couple more colours. They’re labelled as long lasting colours, I’ve never worn this for more than a couple of hours but it definately stayed up.

Avon Moroccan Argan Oil Leave-In Treatment: My last two favourites are haircare products, the first one from Avon’s Advance Techniques 360 Nourishment Moroccan Argan Oil range. I’ve also tried the shampoo and conditioner from this range, but this ‘leave-in treatment’ is my favourite. It has obvious similarities to the Moroccanoil oil treatment in the colour of the oil and packaging. I use this on damp hair, concentrating on the ends. It leaves my hair looking shiny, soft and moisturised without it feeling greasy. Currently on sale for £3.50

Aussie Miracle Colour Insurance Leave-In Conditioner: I got this as part of a 3 for £10 deal as Asda with a shampoo and conditioner and I wasn’t too interested in this, I just picked it up because it was free and I ended up liking this more than the other two Aussie products. I put this in my hair after using the Avon leave-in treatment oil, I spray this all over the hair and comb it through. It smells like peaches which leaves my hair smelling really nice, it also makes my hair feel really soft. It also claims to protect the hair from drying out in the sun, so this might be another product I take on holiday!

I seen this wash bag in Debenhams and thought it would make a nice makeup bag, I think I may have chosen the wrong colour with it being cream, you can also get it in light blue. It’s currently on sale for £7 on the Debenhams website.

L’Oreal Paris Lumi Magique Primer: I love this primer! I used to use this every day before getting the Dr Jart BB Cream, as when I used the BB Cream I don’t think the primer is needed but I love this under foundation. It makes my skin super soft and leaves a really nice luminous glow and when I’ve wore this I’ve received compliments on my skin. I also use this as a highlight, I use just a tiny amount and this also gives a really nice glow to the skin. One thing that can be really annoying is sometimes the formula splits, when I pump it onto the back of my hand there’s the white primer that comes out and also this clear liquid that runs everywhere. This only happens ever now and again and definitely won’t stop me from repurchasing.

Dr Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm Cream SPF40: This is one of the best beauty products I’ve ever bought, I use this on good skin days as it doesn’t have a lot of coverage but evens out my skin tone well and if I have any blemishes I use the Collection 2000 concealer. It does only come in one colour and comes out quite grey but when you work it into the skin it adapts to fit your skin tone. I’ve used this when i’m at my palest and when I’ve applied false tan and it works with both skin tones although i’m not sure how it would work on darker skin tones. Sometimes I like to apply this instead of my L’Oreal Lumi Magique Primer and then apply my foundation in the areas that need more product to cover up spots or red patches. I’ll definitely be repurchasing this product, the SPF40 is also a big bonus as i’m getting more into using sun screen every day. This is currently on offer at Boots for £16.

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation SPF20: I’m in the colour 130 Shell and this is a new foundation which I’ve really enjoyed wearing these past couple months. I’d say it was a light coverage but it is buildable up to a light-medium coverage, I like how lightweight it is and it looks really natural on the skin. I wouldn’t say it was matte but I also wouldn’t say it was dewy, it just leaves a nice natural finish to the skin and also brightens up my skin. The thing that I can’t stand about this product is that it has no pump, you have to pour it onto the back of your hand and I always end up wasting it, the lid is also quite hard to get off unless it’s just me being really weak! But overall I do really like this foundation.

Real Techniques Stippling Brush: The Real Techniques brushes are definitely worth all the hype they seem to have around them, they’re brushes that can be used for so many different things. I used to use the stippling brush for powder blush, I know people were using them for cream blushes but I liked how it picked up just enough powder and then I could sweep it on in circular motions and control where the blush went. I then went back to using this brush for foundation and it’s the perfect foundation brush, I dab the foundation on in a stippling motion and then work it into the skin where’s needed.

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer: I use this concealer in 02 Light for under my eyes to conceal any dark circles and also in 03 Medium for red patches and blemishes. I then work it in with the Real Techniques Contour Brush. Sometimes I do find that this can look cakey and crease under the eyes so i pat it gently in with my finger and this usually sorts it out.

Real Techniques Contour Brush: This brush is part of the Real Techniques Core Collection which includes a contour brush, a buffing brush which I use to blend blush, bronzer and highlighter together, a pointed foundation brush which I don’t really use and a detailer brush which I use to apply lipstick. For me, the contour brush is the perfect brush to work in concealer, especially under the eyes where some places are hard to reach, it’s also really soft and you can work it in gently.

MAC Satin Powder Blush – Dame: This blush is a blue toned pink with a small amount of shimmer, I wore this more in the winter months as it’s like a berry colour which looked really nice when I didn’t fake tan my face.

Natural Collection Blush – Peach Melba: I think for the price this is a really good blush, one which i’ll be wearing throughout spring and summer. Apparently it’s supposed to be a dupe for MAC’s Melba blush which retails for £17.50.

Bobbi Brown Face Brush: When I got this brush I didn’t really know what to use it for but then I tried it with blushes and I love it, it’s the perfect size for sweeping blush on the cheeks.

FashionistA Bronzer – Barcelona: As you can see by the picture, I’ve nearly used this bronzer up and i’m just waiting for it to smash, I should really buy a new one soon. This is possibly me favourite bronzer as it’s not that pigmented which I love because you can never go overboard with it, which I probably do with my other bronzers. You can add a really nice glow to the face and it doesn’t really look like you’re wearing bronzer.

The Body Shop Bronzing Brush: I use this FashionistA bronzer, I think this brush might be a bit too hard to use with the bronzer but for now, I like it. The bristles are soft but I don’t know what it is, I think i’d just prefer a big fluffy brush, possibly the Real Techniques Blush Brush which I may consider buying.

Urban Decay Primer Potion: I actually got mine with my Naked Palette, I do think this is a really nice eyeshadow primer, and normally use this for nights out or if i’m going out somewhere special, whereas I use my MUA primer on an everyday basis, as it’s substantially cheaper. The Urban Decay primer comes out as like a beige colour and feels quite smooth when you rub it in and leaves a nice texture ready for your eyeshadow. I do notice that when I use this that my eyeshadows do last a lot longer and apply nicer than when I don’t use a primer. I think if it wasn’t for the MUA primer which i’ll explain below, then I would buy the full size of this product once finished.

MUA Eye Primer: They’ve changed the packaging of the primer and I think possible the formula which i’m yet to try out. The old packaging/formula of the eyeshadow primer was I think only £2 and I think compared to the Urban Decay primer this wins because of the price. The formula is quite similar along with the colour and it leaves the same smooth texture on my eyes and eyeshadows apply just as nice. I also haven’t noticed any difference in how long the eyeshadows last in comparison to the Urban Decay primer, so overall i’d be more likely to repurchase the MUA primer. I haven’t tried the new eyeshadow primer as i’m guessing they’ve discontinued the old one, so i’m looking forward to trying that.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow – On and on Bronze: This I sometimes use as an eyeshadow primer, I find that when I use a light coating of this, eyeshadows tend to stick to it and become more vibrant. If you do use too much it does tend to become hard and unworkable and you might find it hard to blend out eyeshadows. It’s a gel cream consistency and is very shimmery where you could wear on it’s own or build it up for a nighttime look.

Maybelline Colour Definer Waterproof Eyeshadow Stick – 50 Spicy Chocolate: I used to have this years ago and found it in my old makeup box thing and I remember I used to love it and wear it all the time. This is another eyeshadow that I’d use instead of primer and this and the colour tattoo formula are quite similar, it’s another product that if you use too much it can become quite stiff and unworkable but it leaves a really nice shimmer. I think they’re normally £8 but on the website linked above you can get them for £1.19, I got mine from Ebay a couple months ago.

Nouveau Lashes Mascara – Black: I got this in a glossybox a few months ago and didn’t really think much of it at first, I just put it with my other samples but it’s now my favourite mascara. The wand is quite thin and is really good at separating the lashes. My eyelashes are already quite long and curly so i’m not sure if someone with short or straight eyelashes would like this but I think it’s a really nice mascara, the formulation is also quite nice, it doesn’t flake and gives a nice natural look.Rimmel GlamEyes Liquid Eyeliner: I got this free as part of a Rimmel deal in Superdrug a couple of months ago and I do like it, I don’t wear liquid eyeliner that often but when I do, I use this. It’s good for when you want quite a thin line and it’s quite easy to use.Urban Decay Naked 1 Palette: I love the Urban Decay eyeshadows, especially the naked palettes. Their eyeshadows are of such a high quality, they are really smooth and very pigmented. I think the naked palette’s are such a bargain as you get six full size eyeshadows for £36. They’re quite warm toned shimmery colours with two matte eyeshadows and can be used to create a lot of different looks, including both daytime and nighttime. My favourites are probably Smog, Toasted and Hustle.17 Eyebrow Shaper – Natural Brown: I don’t particularly love this product, but it’s what i’m using at the moment, it is a nice colour though and I really like the brush it has on the end. I really want to try the Kevyn Aucoin Precision Brow Pencil which looks really nice and I like the fact it is retractable rather than a pencil which you have to sharpen.Miss Sporty Just Clear Mascara: This is just a plain clear mascara which I use on my brows, to try and keep them in place. I only bought this product last week when I noticed my eyebrows were going crazy as i’m trying to grow them out, I’m not so sure that it even does that much to be honest, but again it’s what i’m using at the moment.

Natural Collection Lipstick – Rose Petal: I’m in love with the natural collection lipsticks, they have a really good selection of colours and the forumla is really creamy which I love, although one downside to this is that my Rose Petal lipstick has sort of melted and has become hard to apply without it moving from side to side. They also don’t last more than a couple of hours but that doesn’t bother me, they’re cheap enough to carry around with you and keep reapplying when needed. The colour is quite a pinky peachy nude, as you can tell, I love nude lipsticks. I think this colour would look nice on all skin tones. They’re also really sheer but are very buildable, which I also love. Overall the lipsticks in terms of longevity are quite average, I think the colours are amazing and the price outweighs this. Swatches Below.

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick – Shy Girl: I bought this after being disappointed that they didn’t have Pure Zen and couldn’t leave the MAC counter with nothing.. I do really like this colour though, it’s quite an orange toned nude, more of a coral nude, with a small amount of shimmer. As it’s a cremesheen finish, it’s really creamy and is quite sheer, which I really like, it’s a nice everyday nude lipstick. It does tend to last a lot longer than the natural collection lipsticks which is obviously a plus and for the price I would think it should. Currently on sale at Debenhams for £12.60. Swatches Below.

Natural Collection Lipstick – Lotus: Out of all of these three lipsticks, this is my favourite and the one I wear the most and now I don’t feel right if I don’t wear it. For my skin tone, I think it’s the perfect nude, it’s quite a sheer, pale, true peach colour… I have just snapped it in half trying to describe the colour, god dammit! You do have to be careful with them as they are really creamy and soft, they give a kind of moisturising feel to the lips. Any negatives are outweighed by the positives, the price, how creamy and soft they feel on the lips and also the colour range. Swatches Below.

I was using this product a couple of years ago before I started using more high end brands and for some reason what was drummed into my head was, they’re more expensive which means they’re ‘better’. When I was using this I was getting a lot of compliments on my skin and I didn’t actually realise it was this. I’ve tried cleansers and face washes from a variety of price ranges including Simple, Lush, Liz Earle, Origins etc. and I’ve never liked anything as much as this face wash (for morning use, I prefer other cleansers for taking off my makeup). I know it probably doesn’t have as many benefits for my skin in the long run as it includes scary parabens but for what it does to my skin in comparison to other products I have used, I love it. It does however include vitamin C and ginseng, which really brightens up the skin and makes you look refreshed and awake. It also has small beads that burst when you work them into the skin, it’s not abrasive like a facial scrub, it’s not really like a scrub at all, it’s really gentle on the skin. It feels like a gel consistency which is easily massaged over the face, it also smells really fruity and refreshing. I usually use this when I wake up, as I don’t have any makeup on I don’t need a deep cleanse, this really gives my skin a nice glow. If you’re wondering, my skin is quite normal/combination, with occasional dry patches around my nose, it’s also quite dehydrated and sometimes can feel quite tight. I’d definately recommend this for all skin times, it’s oil free so I don’t think it’d be any problem for someone with oilier skin and for £3.99 it’s worth a try to see if you love it as much as I do!